Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Medina Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Medina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Jeddah vs $1,451 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Jeddah vs $1,853 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,474 per month in Jeddah vs $2,255 in Medina, rent included.

Jeddah is about 16% cheaper than Medina, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Jeddah sits 9% below the global median, while Medina is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$5.72 SAR 21.48

13.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 SAR 149

$31.52 SAR 118

25.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.29

$7.94 SAR 29.82

-1.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$1.57 SAR 5.88

37.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

$1.69 SAR 6.36

24.26%

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.20

$2.45 SAR 9.19

54.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.78 SAR 2.92

-10.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.42 SAR 1.57

-40.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.60 SAR 6.02

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.97 SAR 3.66

-3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.32 SAR 8.70

-3.88%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.05 SAR 7.71

28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.86

$6.72 SAR 25.23

10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 SAR 29.19

$7.09 SAR 26.61

9.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 SAR 46.50

$12.44 SAR 46.71

-0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-7.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$2.07 SAR 7.79

-24.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-31.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-7.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.43 SAR 5.36

-6.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-14.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$0.98 SAR 3.68

12.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.88 SAR 3.29

-37.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

$1.36 SAR 5.10

209.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$1.74 SAR 6.52

8.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

$1.62 SAR 6.10

53.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 SAR 25.51

$7.61 SAR 28.57

-10.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.09 SAR 4.08

19.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$37.08 SAR 139

7.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.89

$1.32 SAR 4.94

140.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.65 SAR 6.21

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 SAR 56.5

$5.59 SAR 20.99

169.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-7.69%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$21.0K SAR 78.8K

25.96%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

-0.90%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$108 SAR 406

$203 SAR 763

-46.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$32.30 SAR 121

$33.06 SAR 124

-2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$104 SAR 392

-33.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 SAR 342

$75.9 SAR 285

20.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

$9.10 SAR 34.18

396.04%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.62

$13.49 SAR 50.7

-2.08%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$407 SAR 1,527

$287 SAR 1,078

41.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

$7,377 SAR 27.7K

-13.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 SAR 235

$37.64 SAR 141

66.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$53.3 SAR 200

8.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 SAR 356

$66.9 SAR 251

41.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 SAR 315

$98.6 SAR 370

-15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,903

$435 SAR 1,633

16.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$554 SAR 2,082

-30.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 SAR 3,395

$712 SAR 2,674

26.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$419 SAR 1,574

43.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

$2,267 SAR 8,513

-27.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,812

$1,344 SAR 5,045

-24.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

$1,339 SAR 5,030

23.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

50.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medina: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Jeddah versus $435 in Medina. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Jeddah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Jeddah versus $32.00 in Medina. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Jeddah vs $199 in Medina – so Jeddah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jeddah vs Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,218 in Jeddah, $1,451 in Medina – roughly 19% apart. Medina costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Jeddah and $2,177 in Medina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeddah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Jeddah and $32.00 in Medina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,218 in Jeddah and $1,451 in Medina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jeddah, where all-in costs run around $1,218, than in Medina at $1,451. In Jeddah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jeddah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jeddah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.